The concept of self-esteem and the desire to feel better about oneself is a relatively new phenomenon in the history of the world. This idea can be largely attributed to John Vasconcellos, a California state representative who played a significant role in sparking the self-esteem movement in the 1990s. The movement spread rapidly across America, influencing schools, board rooms, and social-service offices. The self-esteem movement was fueled by the idea that low self-esteem was the root cause of many social problems, and that boosting it could lead to positive change. However, the effectiveness and potential drawbacks of this approach are now being questioned. The story of the rise and fall of the self-esteem movement is explored in a recent episode, which examines whether it is possible to raise one's self-esteem and whether it is even a good idea. The episode features audio material from the University of California, Santa Barbara Library's Humanistic Psychology Archives, and was reported by Heather Radke and Matt Kielty. The episode's credits include original music and sound design by Jeremy S. Bloom, as well as voiceover work by Dann Fink and fact-checking by Anna Pujol-Mazzini and Angely Mercado. The episode is part of the Radiolab series, which is supported by listeners and foundations such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The show's producers invite listeners to share their thoughts and engage with the show through social media and email, and offer a newsletter with short essays and recommendations that comes out every Wednesday.